I think Matthew Yglesias is significantly underestimating the degree to which the “rapid increase in our level of interest in Pakistan’s troubles” has led to a rapid increase in our less-than-well-informed meddling in Pakistan’s affairs. It’s not the interest per se, but the actions it generates, that lead to a “rapid escalation in the scale of the troubles.” Other than that, Yglesias’ observation is on target. Pakistan’s problems pre-dated our interest in them, and will in all likelihood survive it, too.
